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People v. Polite

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Dec 30, 2002
300 A.D.2d 681 (N.Y. App. Div. 2002)

Opinion

1998-05783

Submitted December 12, 2002.

December 30, 2002.

Appeal by the defendant from a judgment of the County Court, Suffolk County (Weissman, J.), rendered May 22, 1998, convicting him of attempted robbery in the first degree, upon a jury verdict, and imposing sentence.

Robert C. Mitchell, Riverhead, N.Y. (Gregory J. Neilon of counsel), for appellant.

Thomas J. Spota, District Attorney, Riverhead, N.Y. (Guy Arcidiacono of counsel), for respondent.

Before: NANCY E. SMITH, J.P., GLORIA GOLDSTEIN, WILLIAM D. FRIEDMANN, LEO F. McGINITY, JJ.


DECISION ORDER

ORDERED that the judgment is affirmed.

Since the defendant could have committed the crime of attempted robbery in the first degree without, by the same conduct, committing theft of services, the County Court properly denied his request to charge theft of services as a lesser-included offense of attempted robbery in the first degree (see People v. Butler, 84 N.Y.2d 627; People v. Shortley, 269 A.D.2d 254).

Contrary to the defendant's contention, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the defendant, we find that it was legally sufficient to establish his guilt of the crime of attempted robbery in the first degree beyond a reasonable doubt (see People v. Contes, 60 N.Y.2d 620; People v. Bracey, 41 N.Y.2d 296). Moreover, resolution of issues of credibility, as well as the weight to be accorded to the evidence presented, are primarily questions to be determined by the jury, which saw and heard the witnesses (see People v. Gaimari, 176 N.Y. 84). Its determination should be accorded great weight on appeal and should not be disturbed unless clearly unsupported by the record (see People v. Glaspie, 179 A.D.2d 822, 825; People v. Garafolo, 44 A.D.2d 822). Upon the exercise of our factual review power, we are satisfied that the verdict of guilt was not against the weight of the evidence (see CPL 470.15).

The defendant's remaining contentions are either unpreserved for appellate review or without merit.

SMITH, J.P., GOLDSTEIN, FRIEDMANN and McGINITY, JJ., concur.


Summaries of

People v. Polite

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Dec 30, 2002
300 A.D.2d 681 (N.Y. App. Div. 2002)
Case details for

People v. Polite

Case Details

Full title:THE PEOPLE, ETC., respondent, v. JAMES POLITE, appellant

Court:Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department

Date published: Dec 30, 2002

Citations

300 A.D.2d 681 (N.Y. App. Div. 2002)
751 N.Y.S.2d 780